tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Tue Apr 28 14:43:06 1998

Back to archive top level

To this year's listing

[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]

Re: Verb prepositional concepts

According to WestphalWz:
> 
> In a message dated 98-04-25 13:18:02 EDT, Qermaq writes:
> 
> << If anyone has a hankering to use <qIm> transitively, may I recommend a
>  wonderful verb made especially  for you? <buS>! For all your transitive
>  concentration needs.  >>
> 
> There is a major difference in intensity.  {buS} means "think only about,
> focus on, concentrate on".  {qIm} mean "pay attention".  These two words do
> not mean anywhere near the same thing.  Therefore, I find it preposterous that
> both Qermaq and SuStel even suggest that one can replace the other.
> 
> peHruS
> 

I respectfully remind you that the full definition of {qIm} is
"pay attention, concentrate". If one were to assume that
{qIm}'s definition may be expanded to include "pay attention
TO" one would likely then be compelled to believe that it also
meant "concentrate ON", which is the third definition of {buS}.

I do not personally believe that {qIm}'s definition can be
expanded in this way and do not recommend that people use it
with any direct object. {qIm} means "concentrate". {buS} means
"concentrate on". The primary difference between these
definitions is that in English "concentrate" is intransitive,
but "concentrate on" begs for an object. 

There is not much apparent difference in intensity between
these definitions, however. Certainly, the word "preposterous"
seems a little strong in reference to the suggestion that one
can serve as the transitive equivalent of the other.

charghwI'

Back to archive top level